09/11/2026
IMPORTANT: BBBYU Race Information – Please Read Carefully!
We’ll see you all tomorrow, Saturday, September 12th for the 4th Annual Big Breton Backyard Ultra (BBBYU)!
🏃 Race start: 8:00 AM
🎒 Race kit pickup: Starting at 7:00 AM
📋 Mandatory meeting: 7:45 AM
You will need to sign in before the mandatory meeting.
IMPORTANT!!! Things you need to know about the Big Breton Backyard Ultra...
Particularly if you're planning to "go long" and do multiple loops at the race:
1. YOU are responsible for YOUR RACE
You need to bring all the stuff you might need for the long haul. Put it in a bag and label it with your name so you can easily find it at the start/finish, unless you have a support person waiting there for you.
After the race, you are responsible for arranging your own ride home! We are not a taxi service, so please plan ahead and make sure you have a ride waiting for you.
Here's some stuff you might want to include in your supplies:
• Changes of clothes – Have stuff you can wear in rainy, sunny, warm AND cold conditions. Think rain jacket, gloves, even a toque. You might have to pick up the pace now and then in order to have time to change gear between laps!
• Fresh socks / change of shoes – If you think your feet might appreciate that. Same principle as with the clothes — you have to make sure you have sufficient time after your lap if you plan to change them.
• Nutrition – Bring gels, bananas, Fig Newtons — stuff you can eat without cramping up. It could be a long event, and you need to eat. You need to supply your own food!
• Hydration – There will be some water/Gatorade available at the start/finish, but not cups, so bring your own bottle. We can't guarantee a supply that will last indefinitely. Bring your own and/or have a crew person who can bring more for you if you run out.
• Headlamp for nighttime laps – You can assume it's going to be necessary for any laps after 8:00 PM. You won't be able to complete a lap in the dark — trust me.
• Band-aids, anti-chafing lotion, basic first aid supplies – You never know if that one little annoyance you feel is going to grow into a real problem that could end your race, so taking the time to do a bit of preventative maintenance goes a long way.
• Your own folding chair – Couldn't hurt, right? You might even have enough time to catnap between laps, if it comes to that.
BONUS ITEM: If you're wondering whether you've packed enough supplies, remember the official BBBYU rule: If you think you might need it, bring it. If you don't need it, congratulations — you're now carrying extra stuff around for no reason.
2. Know the course
The course is about half trail (not very technical) and about half gravel road, but hazardous spots might be lurking.
You have to pay attention!
Watch for roots, fallen branches, runoff channels, etc. — and try to remember where they're located when you spot them the first time so you're aware of them on subsequent laps... particularly if you're running some laps in the dark.
3. These are the rules that MUST be strictly followed
You need to be IN the starting corral when each loop starts.
You can't start late — not even one second late — or you're out.
THIS IS A STRICT RULE THAT WILL BE ADHERED TO!!!
The race starts at 8:00 AM on the dot, and then each subsequent loop is EXACTLY one hour after the previous.
There will be a countdown notice at 3, 2, and 1 minutes prior to the start of each lap.
Once you're on the race course, you can't leave it except for a potty break. If you're spotted going off track, your race is over.
No outside support on the course. Only at the start/finish can you get assistance.
There's no items/support allowed in the starting corral, but the area between the gate and starting chute can be used for equipment. There will also be a small number of pop-up tents available for shelter on a first-come, first-served basis.
No trekking poles allowed! You have to do the race without any artificial aid.
How do you win?
The winner is the last person to complete a loop in under an hour.
If nobody completes one more loop than the rest of the field, there's no winner.
For example: if the last two people left in the race both finish a lap in under an hour, but one of them chooses not to continue, the other person STILL has to do ONE MORE lap in order to win.
Another scenario: if there are two people left in the race but only one of them finishes the lap in under an hour, the finisher is the winner.
Everyone except the winner is technically a "DNF"... but you can still brag about how many laps you completed!
4. Have fun with it!
Remember, nobody is going to force you to suffer any longer than you want to.
You just have to live with the shame of knowing you're a quitter. 😂
And finally... if you've actually read this entire message, please remember that the word "banana" is completely unrelated to anything that happens at the BBBYU. 🍌
(Unless, of course, you're hungry.)
See you Saturday, September 12th!
BBBYU Committee
